This New Jersey garden designed by Richard Hartlage and his team at AHBL Architects is stunningly beautiful but it illustrates an often overlooked design tip.

What is that tip? For a clean contemporary subtly in your design, match your metals….. (or at least make sure they don’t clash)….. Just like in interior design, if you take the time to coordinate these details, the whole bigger picture will look more cohesive and soothing.  When your incidentals are harmonious, the eye will be drawn to the drama that you create.  Like here, the chartreuse color of the grasses, the pillar trees, and the cow sculpture take center stage.  But imagine for a moment if the furniture and the tables were, say, black — they would suddenly stick out and interrrupt this scheme wouldn’t they?

And further, this scheme is helped by the house color.  Being similar to the other accessories, it also harmonizes and lends to the serene and relaxing scene without seeming overly contrived.

The other idea I am taking from this garden is the grassy berms — isn’t that a nice way to break-up the landscape and deal with spoil from other projects?